Mexico agrees “without problem” to host the Iranian football team during the 2026 World Cup, after it announced on Saturday its desire to establish its base camp in Tijuana instead of Tucson, in the United States, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Monday.
“The United States does not want the Iranian team to establish itself on their territory,” she explained during a press conference. “So they asked us: ‘Can they settle in Mexico?’ We said yes, no problem.”
Iran will play its three group stage matches in the United States, with which it has not maintained diplomatic relations since 1980, following the hostage crisis at the American embassy in Tehran. The Iranians announced on Saturday that they had obtained agreement from Fifa to establish their base camp on Mexican territory and thus circumvent the visa problems they face.
Team Melli, the nickname of the Iranian selection, had initially planned to set up its training camp in the American city of Tucson, Arizona.
Ms. Sheinbaum explained that the Mexican authorities were in the process of finalizing with Fifa the details of the stay of Iran, whose participation in the competition has for a time been uncertain since the American-Israeli offensive launched at the end of February against the Islamic Republic.
The president of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, explained on Saturday that he had chosen the city of Tijuana, very close to the American border and the city of San Diego, to establish the base camp for his selection.
“Thanks to this measure, the visa problem will be largely resolved,” added the head of the Iranian body. “The journey for our two matches in Los Angeles only takes 55 minutes by plane, which is very short compared to Tucson, Arizona (…). This is a considerable advantage. To make these trips, we are encountering visa problems (with the United States), particularly concerning the number of visas available. This problem will soon be resolved as the team enters Mexico.
Mexican club Tijuana Xolos has confirmed that it will host the base camp for Iranian players, promising that its site is “open to all, friendly and welcoming.”
On Monday evening, Fifa formalized the locations of the base camps for the 48 teams qualified for the World Cup, confirming that Iran would be based in Tijuana, and that it would train precisely at Centro Xoloitzcuintle.
Team Melli will enter the fray on June 15 in Los Angeles against New Zealand. Then they will play again in the City of Angels against Belgium on June 21, before concluding their group stage against Egypt on June 26 in Seattle.
